Loch Strathbeg
Encyclopedia
The Loch of Strathbeg (also known as Loch Strathbeg; historically "Strathbeg Water"; "Water of Strathbeg"; "Rattray Water" or "Water of Rattray") is a designated Special Protection Area
for wildlife conservation purposes. It is located near to Rattray
and Crimond
in Aberdeenshire
, Scotland
.
The loch is maintained by the RSPB and around the loch there are three hides from which visitors may watch the birds and other wildlife. Access to the loch is through Crimond airfield where there is a car park at the edge of the reserve. There is also the 'Starnafin Centre' from which visitors may also watch the birds from and find out more information about which birds and animals are present locally.
The RSPB records over 260 species of bird, 280 species of insect and 26 species of mammal at the reserve.
A historical account says that the storm blocked "the outlet of the stream called the burn of Strathbeg into the sea" after which it flowed directly into the loch.
There is another stream, the "Burn o’ Rattra" flowing into the loch. Ordnance Survey
mapping of the Loch shows four streams ("burns" in Scots) and one exit point into the north sea.
" (2.9 km² ) of which "more than three-fourths" were to be found in the Parish of Crimond and to have an "average depth is about 3½ feet" (approx. 1.1 metres) "its greatest depth does not exceed 6½ feet" (approx. 2 metres). This does not necessarily correspond with conditions today, as the same source also notes that the nearby beach head was at the time saturated and "oozing water" indeed it says that the loch had dropped at least 4 feet (1.2 m) since 1817, only 37 years earlier.
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
for wildlife conservation purposes. It is located near to Rattray
Rattray, Aberdeenshire
Rattray , had been settled as far back as 4000 BC and was named a Royal Burgh in 1563 by Mary, Queen of Scots, "to put an end to the disputes about superiority over it between William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal and George Hay, 7th Earl of Erroll"...
and Crimond
Crimond
Crimond is a village in the northeast of Scotland, located nine miles northwest of the port of Peterhead and just over two miles from the coast.- Local area :...
in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The loch is maintained by the RSPB and around the loch there are three hides from which visitors may watch the birds and other wildlife. Access to the loch is through Crimond airfield where there is a car park at the edge of the reserve. There is also the 'Starnafin Centre' from which visitors may also watch the birds from and find out more information about which birds and animals are present locally.
The RSPB records over 260 species of bird, 280 species of insect and 26 species of mammal at the reserve.
Formation
The loch is a very recent creation of geological times, forming naturally in a massive storm in 1720. The lagoon, where the loch is now, its small harbour Starny Keppie and the village of Rattray, were cut off from the sea and engulfed by shifting sands.A historical account says that the storm blocked "the outlet of the stream called the burn of Strathbeg into the sea" after which it flowed directly into the loch.
There is another stream, the "Burn o’ Rattra" flowing into the loch. Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
mapping of the Loch shows four streams ("burns" in Scots) and one exit point into the north sea.
1854 Study
In 1854 the loch was estimated at "550 Scotch acresAcre (Scots)
A Scottish acre was a land measurement used in the country. It was standardised in 1661. English acres were imposed in 1824 by an Act of Parliament, and the metric system is also used in Scotland.Equivalent to -* Scottish measures** 4 roods* Metric system...
" (2.9 km² ) of which "more than three-fourths" were to be found in the Parish of Crimond and to have an "average depth is about 3½ feet" (approx. 1.1 metres) "its greatest depth does not exceed 6½ feet" (approx. 2 metres). This does not necessarily correspond with conditions today, as the same source also notes that the nearby beach head was at the time saturated and "oozing water" indeed it says that the loch had dropped at least 4 feet (1.2 m) since 1817, only 37 years earlier.
Maps
Historical maps of the area are available online that show the transition of Strathbeg Bay into Loch Strathbeg (links are provided rather than the image for copyright reasons):| Date | Description | Link to map | Map Collection | Map title | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1636–1652 | Shows the loch more like a lake than an estury | zoomed in map; map description on nls.uk | National Library of Scotland National Library of Scotland The National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter... |
||
| 1745 | zoomed in image; page on nls.uk | National Library of Scotland National Library of Scotland The National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter... |
|||
| 1747 | The estuary with no Loch yet forming (NB. you will need to zoom in on this image) |
from DavidRumsey.com | David Rumsey Historical Map Collection David Rumsey Historical Map Collection The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection is one of the world's largest private map collections. It has some 150,000 maps and cartographic items... |
Scotland or N. Britain; by Emanuel Bowen Emanuel Bowen Emanuel Bowen was an English map engraver, who worked for George II of England and Louis XV of France as a geographerHe published a 'Complete Atlas of Geography,' 1744-7; an 'English Atlas, with a new set of maps,' 1745; a 'Complete Atlas ..... |
1:500,000 |
| 1747-1745 | Shows the Loch almost completely sealed off, which just a small channel leading into the sea from the south side | from Scran.ac.uk | the Scran database Scran Scran is a Scottish online resource for educational use by the public, schools, further education and higher education. It presents 360,000 images and sounds contributed by museums, galleries, archives and the media... |
The Roy Map | 1:36,000 |
| 1790 | Shows the sand bar beginning to form from the north and the Loch's shaping is beginning to take place (NB. you will need to zoom in on this image) |
from DavidRumsey.com | David Rumsey Historical Map Collection David Rumsey Historical Map Collection The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection is one of the world's largest private map collections. It has some 150,000 maps and cartographic items... |
A new and correct map of Scotland or North Britain (Northern section); by Robert Campbell Robert Campbell -Politicians:*Robert Campbell , Australian merchant/politician from New South Wales*Robert Campbell , New South Wales politician, son of the above*Robert Campbell , New York politician... |
1:447,000 |
| 1811 | Showing the name "Loch Strathbeg" and the outline of the loch (NB. you will need to zoom in on this image) |
from DavidRumsey.com | David Rumsey Historical Map Collection David Rumsey Historical Map Collection The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection is one of the world's largest private map collections. It has some 150,000 maps and cartographic items... |
Composite: Scotland; by John Pinkerton John Pinkerton John Pinkerton was a Scottish antiquarian, cartographer, author, numismatist, historian, and early advocate of Germanic racial supremacy theory.... |
1:518,000 |
| 1861 | Showing the Loch in the form that it is today but with a small area of water to the west coming from the south of the loch (NB. you will need to zoom in on this image) |
from DavidRumsey.com | David Rumsey Historical Map Collection David Rumsey Historical Map Collection The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection is one of the world's largest private map collections. It has some 150,000 maps and cartographic items... |
Composite: Scotland; by Alexander Keith Johnston (1804-1871) Alexander Keith Johnston (1804-1871) Alexander Keith Johnston was a Scottish geographer.-Biography:He was born at Kirkhill near Edinburgh. After an education at the high school and the University of Edinburgh he was apprenticed to an engraver; and in 1826 joined his brother in a printing and engraving business, forming the... |
1:633,600 |
| 1883 | The Loch, in the approximate shape of today (as the previous map) but missing the small body of water to the south-west (NB. you will need to zoom in on this image) |
from DavidRumsey.com | David Rumsey Historical Map Collection David Rumsey Historical Map Collection The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection is one of the world's largest private map collections. It has some 150,000 maps and cartographic items... |
Scotland 2; by Letts, Son & Co. | 1:760,320 |
| 1922 | Shows the Loch in the 20th century, much as now, in relation to Crimond Crimond Crimond is a village in the northeast of Scotland, located nine miles northwest of the port of Peterhead and just over two miles from the coast.- Local area :... , Lonmay Lonmay Lonmay is a village and parish in the Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies along the A90 road, between Peterhead and Fraserburgh, near to the junction with the A952 road at Cortes. The parish, formerly known as St Colms, encompasses the villages of St Combs and Crimond, as well as the... and Rattray Rattray Rattray may refer to:* Blairgowrie and Rattray, beside Blairgowrie, Scotland* Cathy Rattray-Williams, Jamaican track and field sprinter* David Rattray, South African historian* Robert Sutherland Rattray, British anthropologist and africanist... (NB. you will need to zoom in on this image) |
from DavidRumsey.com | David Rumsey Historical Map Collection David Rumsey Historical Map Collection The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection is one of the world's largest private map collections. It has some 150,000 maps and cartographic items... |
Scotland - northern section; John Bartholomew & Co. | 1:633,600 |
| 1931 | The loch pre-WWII, the remains of the Castle of Rattray can be seen to the south and the remains of Lonmay Castle to the north-east. | from NPEmap.org.uk | NPEMap | Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with... , Sheet 031P |
1:63,360 |
| Current map | Link to the Ordnance Survey website with current map. | from OrdnanceSurvey.co.uk | Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with... |
Ordnance Survey "Get-a-map" | 1:50,000 |